Credit: Chubby Fish (Facebook)
Two Charleston restaurants were included on The New York Times’ list of the country’s Best Restaurant Dishes for 2025. The Holy City was represented by the blowfish tails from Chubby Fish and the beef cheeks from Palmira Barbecue.
Here’s what the The New York Times had to say about each:
Blowfish Tails at Chubby Fish
"(Chef) James London says deep-frying is 'a great icebreaker' to introduce diners to seafood they may not know, like blackbelly rosefish, white grunt and conger eel. When he can get them, the meaty blowfish tails fit that description to a T, yet with the familiar snap and brininess of prawns."
Credit: Palmira Barbecue (Facebook)
Beef Cheeks at Palmira Barbecue
"Pitch-black with a nubbly bark, these plump cuts look like the slag byproduct of some old industrial process — which in a sense they are, emerging from an offset smoker out back and an overnight bath in hot tallow. But a quick flick of a knife reveals the ruby-red luxury inside, all silky, minerally and melting with marbled fat. The chef Hector Garate’s mastery of barbecue (he describes his style as 'Texas techniques with Puerto Rican influences') is no secret in these parts, and these beef cheeks are his most persuasive claim to fame."
You can see the full list here.